Great white sharks are undertaking their annual migration south, moving away from their summer and fall feeding grounds off the northeastern U.S. and Canada. The seasonal shift, driven by cooling water temperatures, sees these large predators heading toward warmer waters in the southeastern U.S. and the Caribbean for the winter.
Water temperature is a key factor in this migration, with great white sharks preferring conditions between 54 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit. As the autumn progresses and temperatures drop, the sharks seek out areas with more abundant food sources.
Recent tracking data from OCEARCH, a global nonprofit dedicated to studying and tracking sharks, indicates this movement is underway. Since late October, several great white sharks have been detected as they journey south.
Ernest, a female great white shark weighing over 1,000 pounds and measuring 12 feet in length, was observed off the coast of New Jersey on November 2. She was initially tagged off Nova Scotia in 2025 and had previously been tracked in the Gulf of St. Lawrence before heading further south.
Another tagged shark, Penny, who weighs 522 pounds, was detected in Florida's Gulf Coast waters on November 2. Penny is the 92nd white shark tagged by OCEARCH in the Western North Atlantic.
Meanwhile, Nori, a juvenile female measuring 8 feet, 10 inches and weighing 423 pounds, was detected off the coast of Rhode Island on Halloween. She was tagged on October 4, 2025, in Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia.
Researchers will continue to monitor these sharks as they complete their seasonal migration, seeking warmer waters and new feeding opportunities for the winter months.